KSDE Newsroom

New program development initiative will expand after-school opportunities through AmeriCorps in Kansas

TOPEKA – Kansas will be better poised to expand out-of-school time opportunities for youth at a statewide level thanks to new funding awarded to the Kansas Volunteer Commission (KVC).

The funding comes from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation in partnership with America's Service Commissions (ASC). ASC received a $250,000 grant from the Mott Foundation in September 2017. The grant is for a multiyear initiative to identify how the state service commission network can expand after-school opportunities through national services, such as AmeriCorps.

As part of the initiative, ASC has selected eight state service commissions, including KVC, to receive $12,500 mini-grants. Funding will support staff and consultant time to develop a better understanding of the local after-school landscape and identify potential paths for developing national service programming that will expand the quality and quantity of after-school opportunities in their respective states.

In Kansas, the funding will allow the KVC, Kansas State Department of Education and Kansas Enrichment Network to collaborate on an out-of-school time mapping project and to convene an out-of-school time stakeholder group. KVC will also receive support from ASC through monthly learning community calls, ongoing coaching and a yearly meeting for states receiving grants.

“We are honored to have been selected for this important after-school initiative,” said Jessica Noble, KVC executive director. “With ASC’s backbone support and Mott Foundation's strong connections to after-school networks, we are confident that we can make a real difference for young people in Kansas through AmeriCorps and national service programming.”

Kaira Esgate, chief executive officer for ASC, said, “We are excited to partner with KVC on this effort and to help support the future expansion of after-school opportunities and AmeriCorps programming in Kansas.”

In addition to supporting states, ASC will work with the National Network of Statewide Afterschool Networks and other key stakeholders to develop new strategies around after-school program development during the next two years.

Through this effort, ASC believes that the project will lead to an increased understanding between state service commissions and statewide after-school networks about how to leverage national service and AmeriCorps resources in support of high-quality, after-school opportunities nationwide.

For more information on this initiative, visit statecommissions.org/afterschool.

About the Kansas Volunteer Commission
The mission of the Kansas Volunteer Commission (KVC) is to empower all Kansans to meet community needs through service. The commission's primary role is to provide resources and leadership to support local initiatives that tackle community needs. As the state service commission, the KVC directs effective national service programs, supports statewide mentoring efforts, and leads volunteer engagement training opportunities. For more information, visit www.kanserve.org.

About America’s Service Commissions
America’s Service Commissions (ASC) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan association representing and promoting the 52 state service commissions across the United States and territories with the mission to lead and elevate the state service network. State service commissions are governor-appointed public agencies or nonprofit organizations made up of more than 1,000 commissioners, private citizens leading the nation’s service movement and administering 80 percent of the federal AmeriCorps funds to address pressing community needs. Learn more at www.statecommissions.org.

About Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
The Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, established in 1926 in Flint, Michigan, by an automotive pioneer, is a private philanthropy committed to supporting projects that promote a just, equitable and sustainable society. It supports nonprofit programs throughout the United States and, on a limited geographic basis, internationally. Grant-making is focused in four programs: Civil Society, Environment, Flint Area and Education. In addition to Flint, offices are located in metropolitan Detroit, Johannesburg and London. With year-end assets of approximately $2.7 billion in 2016, the foundation made 405 grants totaling more than $121 million. For more information, visit www.mott.org.